Friday, January 11, 2019 1:00 am

Letters

Thank police, and work with them to fight crime

Recently, we said goodbye to two retiring police officers, Sgt. Jim Gebhard and Lt. Mike McQueen, with a total of 90 years' service between them. Over the years, both have helped us immensely in our neighborhoods. It is sad to lose experienced officers, even though we have competent young men, women and seasoned officers whom are filling those voids.

In the past, many have congratulated us on our efforts to clean out crime in our neighborhood, ultimately making it an attractive area for investment. None of this would have been possible without a combined effort of citizens and law enforcement. Working together, we were able to get creative by bringing in Neighborhood Code Enforcement, Department of Health, Adult Protective Services, Victims Assistance and many others. Working with police helped foster these relationships, which ultimately led to successes.

Our officers, whether city, county or state, don't just put their time in and clock out. Many times, I've seen them come into our area on their own time and do investigations. They volunteer all over the city and county and are there for you if you need to just talk. Take time and get to know the officers in your area. You both have the same ultimate goal: Removing crime from your neighborhoods. Information is the key to getting results, regardless of how you want to share it with them.

Please, don't wait until an officer or firefighter retires, or gives the ultimate sacrifice, before you show your appreciation. When you see one, take a few seconds to say thank you for your service to our communities – and, if you have a little more time, share some information.

Jerry Vandeveer

Fort Wayne

President never learned cherry tree story

Not only have I lost track of the number of times President Donald Trump has said, “No collusion,” I have also lost track of the number of falsehoods he has stated. Once again, if I had a quarter for every time the president has uttered the words “No collusion” or told yet another falsehood, I wouldn't be as rich as he is, but I'd be getting closer and closer, believe me.

It appears that our nation's 45th president may not have been moved when he first heard or read – as so many Americans have – the tale of the cutting down of the cherry tree in which a young George Washington declared, “I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.”

I was in St. Petersburg, Florida, last February when the Valentine's Day massacre occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Ten days later, an ad appeared in the Tampa Bay newspaper for a gun show at the state fairgrounds.

Last weekend, it was time for the most recent gun and knife show, with children under 12 admitted free, at Memorial Coliseum, advertised in the Fort Wayne newspaper accompanied by a picture of hundreds of guns – the same paper that reports daily the latest local gun and knife shootings and stabbings.

Is it really advisable to advertise the availability of these weapons?